Assessing cardiovascular and vertebral/hip fracture risk and bone condition using quantitative computed tomography and/or dual energy x-ray absorptiometry

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems for computer assisted detection of arterial calcification, for example in the abdominal artery, by using measurements such as those conventionally taken with a dual x-ray energy bone densitometers at single energy or dual energy, or by a CT/QCT device for a localization of scout view, and for using the calcification assessment either alone or with other information to assess and report a risk of a cardiovascular event, alone or together with other information such as BMD and vertebral fracture risk.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of parent application Ser. No. 11/542,280 filed Oct. 2, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND

This patent specification is in the field of methods and equipment for assisting medical professionals in assessing a patient's cardiovascular and vertebral/hip fracture risk and bone condition parameters such as bone mineral density (BMD) using x-ray measurements derived from localization or scout scans taken with a computed tomography (CT) or a quantitative computed tomography (QCT) device and/or scans taken with a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) device. In addition, this application pertains to assessing patient risks by using x-ray measurements of other anatomy.

QCT has long been used to estimate BMD. Typically, the patient is positioned on the patient bed of a CT scanner together with a QCT phantom that is in the field of view and has known characteristics. A lateral CT localization or scout scan is taken to identify vertebrae and perhaps to adjust CT gantry angle tilt to place one or more axial CT slices through the center or another selected plane of one or more selected vertebrae. The CT slice images that include the phantom and vertebral bodies such as L1 and L2, or T1 through L3, are processed to derive an estimate of the patient's BMD. This and other approaches to measuring bone mass are discussed in a 1989 paper by Christopher E. Cann.²⁸ (The superscript numerals refer to the documents cited at the end of the detailed description; all of those documents, as well as the patents and patent applications cited in this patent specification, are hereby incorporated by reference herein.) QCT products are commercially offered in this country by a number of companies, including Mindways Software, Inc. of Baltimore, Md. and Image Analysis, Inc. of Columbia, Ky.^(29,30) See, also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,507 and FDA 510(k) document K031991 dated Jul. 30, 2003 regarding a product of Image Analysis, Inc. named DXAVIE Hip and Spine.³¹ While the lateral localization or scout scan typically taken for a QCT procedure may allow visualization of vertebral fractures and of aortic calcifications, as mentioned in material published by Image Analysis, Inc.³⁰, it is believed that there is no teaching or suggestion of using such CT or QCT lateral scans to quantify vertebral fracture assessment or aortic calcification in an automated manner.

A different modality, dual x-ray energy bone densitometry (DXA), has long been used mainly to obtain bone condition assessment information, including the projected bone mineral density (BMD, in g/cm²) at various anatomical sites. One example of DXA systems is available from Hologic, Inc. of Bedford Mass. under the trade name Discovery. It has an examination table and a C-Arm at opposite ends of which are mounted an x-ray tube and a multi-detector array. The patient is positioned on the examination table between the x-ray tube and the detector array of the C-arm. For the assessment of bone mineral density, the x-ray detector and a fan-shaped beam of x-rays from the tube are scanned as a unit axially along the patient, while the x-rays are alternatively switched between high and low energy ranges. By comparing the relative attenuation of the x-rays at the two energies, the contributions to attenuation due to the soft tissue can be subtracted. In other equipment, dual energy x-ray measurements are obtained by using a steady x-ray beam of relatively broad energy range impinging on detectors that measure respective energy ranges of the beam, or on a detector that can discriminate between energy ranges, such that high and low energy separation is done by the detector. At least in principle, similar results may be obtained without scanning, using an x-ray beam of a sufficient cross-section and a 2D array of detector elements. In each case, an image can be obtained of the bony structure of the body by the soft-tissue subtraction method. This image is then input into BMD analysis, which calculates and reports the BMD. The image can be displayed by showing it on a screen and/or printing it and can be stores in PACS or other storage/retrieval systems together with other densitometry and patient data.

When the patient's spine is scanned with a DXA device, the displayed image is similar to that in conventional spine radiography except that it requires less x-ray exposure and the entire spine or any desired part thereof can be scanned in one pass and shown as a single image. The image also is similar to a localization or scout scan image taken with a CT or QCT device. In DXA, the image can be derived from measurements at both x-ray energy ranges or at one of them (single energy image). In the case of systems such as the Discovery, a single energy image can be obtained by selecting a fixed, relatively narrow energy range rather than alternating between two energy ranges. If a dual energy image is already available but a single energy image is desirable for further processing or another purpose, it can be extracted simply by using only the x-ray detector outputs for one of the energies or by adding the two energies together rather than subtracting them. In systems that use the detector to separate high and low x-ray energy, a single energy image can be extracted by using only the output of only one of the detector sets or at one of the narrower energy ranges, or by adding the high and low x-ray energies together rather than subtracting them.

The options for densitometers offered by Hologic, Inc. include CADfx, which carries out computer processing of the spinal image to help detect vertebral fractures in DXA images, and Instant Vertebral Assessment (IVA), sometimes referred to as vertebral fracture assessment (VFA), wherein vertebral deformities can be evaluated similar to standard radiograph or CT image reading methods. IVA images are lateral spine images typically taken at single energy. While the images produced using DXA IVA are not of sufficient quality for general radiological use, it has been observed that the quality of IVA images is similar to that of abdominal radiographs for visualizing abdominal aorta calcifications (AAC). In fact, AAC can be seen in DXA images sufficiently well to have allowed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to clear Hologic, Inc. (510K clearance K060111 approval Apr. 24, 2006) for visualizing AAC with its DXA equipment.

The abdominal aorta is a large, fluid filled vessel comprised of soft tissue. It can be barely visible on conventional x-ray images and is typically is visualized with the use of a radio-opaque contrast material. A vessel that is calcified usually presents with a linear or eggshell calcified pattern which is typical of calcification in the wall of a fluid filled structure. The history of using radiographs to identify abdominal aortic calcifications is well-established.^(1,2,5,11,14,15,16) A recent (2005) review article of methods for detection of abdominal aortic calcifications describes three primary methods: plain radiograph, ECT, and CT. It concludes, “Presently no modality has been accepted as the gold standard for the measurement of abdominal aortic calcification,”⁵ but observes that “The simplest method of detecting abdominal aortic calcification is with plain abdominal X-ray.”⁵

Abdominal Aortic Calcification (AAC) is seen anterior to the lumbar spine in lateral view and is graded in severity by several methods⁸⁻¹⁰ related to the length of the AAC seen in the image. The published literature indicates a graded association between the length of the AAC seen in the image and the risk of future morbidity and mortality.^(1, 3, 6, 7) In a typical grading scheme, the posterior and anterior walls of the aorta are graded in the area in front of the L1-L4 vertebra for total length of calcifications seen. For example, 0, ≦1 cm, 1 to 2.4 cm, 2.5 to 4.9 cm, ≧5 cm is considered, absent, dubious, mild, moderate, and severe, respectively.¹⁰ It has been reported that AAC is diagnostic for arteriosclerosis¹⁻⁴. AAC is believed to be strongly associated with a number of diseases, independent of traditional clinical risk factors such as age, cigarette use, diabetes mellitus, systolic blood pressure, left ventricular hypertrophy, body mass index, cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol.^(1, 3, 5-7) The known literature identifies plain radiography, CT and ECT as the modalities to be used for AAC detection and quantification. Published patent application US 2003/0176780 A1 discusses detection and quantification of aortic calcium, but from CT slice images rather than lateral localization of scout images. MRI is also referenced as a modality in connection with assessing atherosclerosis.²³

SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE

The systems and method disclosed in this patent specification generally relate to assessing patient risk of cardiovascular and vertebral/hip fracture by computer-processing x-ray measurements typically taken in generally lateral views with a CT or QCT scanner and/or similar views taken with a DXA device, and estimating bone condition parameters such as BMD by computer-processing x-ray measurements taken in generally axial views with a QCT scanner or lateral view in a DXA scan, and reporting various combination of assessments and estimates in particularly useful ways. If a localization of scout scan of the spine is used, preferably it is over a greater number of vertebrae than commonly used for QCT procedures, for example, it encompasses T2 through L5, although a scan over more or less vertebrae or over a different span of the spine can be used as well. Preferably, vertebral fracture assessment is done using information from a generally lateral localization or scout scan with the QCT scanner, but in the alternative could be done using similar information from a scout scan with another CT scanner or from a single or dual energy lateral scan with a DXA device, or with information from another modality. Also preferably, bone parameters such as BMD can be derived from the axial scans of a QCT procedure, but could alternatively be derived from a DXA procedure or from another modality. AAC can be assessed from the x-ray measurement taken in the course of the lateral localization or scout CT scan or from a single energy or dual energy lateral scan with a DXA instrument. With a DXA device, a single energy image can be obtained in much shorter time and at lower x-ray dose, while a dual energy image can require higher dose and longer acquisition time but lessen some effects of soft tissue. For example a densitometer such as the Discovery can acquire a single energy lateral image of vertebrae T4 to L4 in about 10 seconds but can take several times that for a similar dual energy image. Dual energy images can be used instead if the longer scan time and higher dose are justified or already available, as in the case of DXA devices that use a wide energy range in the x-ray beam and separate the two energies at the detector system. It should be understood that the term single energy is used in this patent specification to refer to an x-ray energy range rather than to a single value of the energy spectrum, and the term dual energy refers to two ranges of x-ray energy ranges that may partly overlap.

Instead of or in addition to estimating bone parameters such as BMD from QCT or DXA measurements of the spine, similar measurements can be taken of other anatomy, such as of the hip using known technology and methods. In addition, structural analysis of the hip can be carried out as discussed, for example, in patent application PCT/US 06/43730, and the results can be included in a report that also reports other parameters.

A non-limiting example of a method disclosed in this patent (1) estimates vertebral fracture risk from a lateral CT localization or scout scan of several vertebrae, such as T2-L5 or another span of the patient's spine, and/or of the hip, (2) estimates the risk of a cardiovascular event using aortic calcification information obtained from the same lateral CT scan, and (3) estimates a bone parameter such as BMD from a QCT procedure that involved one or more vertebrae and/or the hip. As is typical in QCT procedures, first a lateral localization or scout scan is taken with the CT instrument. This scan typically is at lower x-ray dose than a conventional chest or abdomen 2D x-ray image, but its quality is sufficient for vertebral fracture risk assessment and AAC analysis. For example, whereas a conventional 2D lateral lumbar spine may require a whole body equivalent x-ray dose of about 9-13 mrem, a CT or QCT lateral spine scout scan may require about 3-5 mrem. Because such a lateral scan is taken in any event as a part of a CT or QCT procedure, its use for vertebral fracture risk assessment and AAC estimates does not expose the patient to more radiation if over the same span of the spine, or may add limited radiation if a greater span of the spine is imaged. A QCT procedure is completed by taking one or more CT slice images in selected planes intersecting selected vertebrae. The CT/QCT scout view x-ray measurement are computer-processed to identify and grade vertebral fractures and derive a quantitative assessment of vertebral fracture risk, and also are computer-processes to identify aortic calcifications and derive a quantitative assessment of cardiovascular event risk. The x-ray measurements from CT slices through one or more vertaebrae (and through the QCT phantom and/or the hip) are computer-processed to derive an estimate of bone parameters such as BMD. Preferably, all three assessments (e.g., BMD, vertebral fracture risk, and cardiovascular even risk) are combined in a single report, typically but not necessarily together with other information regarding the patient, such as a graph illustrating the patient's BMD relationship to normative data for a large population and other information regarding risk factors and information identifying the patient and the procedures used to derive the reported data and other information.

A non-limiting example in which DXA rather than QCT or CT is used, a non-limiting method disclosed in this patent comprises using a DXA device to obtain x-ray measurements of a patient's anatomy that includes a selected portion of the patient's aorta, wherein the measurements can be single energy or dual energy and the typically comprise a lateral view of a selected portion of the patient's spine and aorta, deriving digital image information describing an image of at least the selected portion of the patient's spine and aorta by computer processing that uses the x-ray measurements, producing vertebral fracture information and aortic calcification information describing at least one selected calcification property of the selected portion of the aorta by computer processing that uses the digital image information, estimating vertebral fracture risk information and cardiovascular risk information indicative of an assessment of risk of a cardiovascular event by computer processing that uses the vertebral fracture and the aortic calcification information, calculating bone assessment information by computer processing using the digital image information, and reporting the estimated vertebral fracture risk and cardiovascular risk information and a record of derived bone assessment information, with or without also reporting other risk factors for the patient, such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure, body fat information, previous cardiovascular events, etc. In addition to or in place of estimating vertebral bone conditions and fracture risk, DXA measurements of the hip can be used. The report can be shown by displaying it on a computer screen, printing it, storing it in a server or sending it electronically to a remote location, and/or otherwise. In the case of using single energy lateral DXA view, the bone assessment can be a vertebral fracture assessment or another type of morphometry assessment, while in the case of using a dual energy lateral view the bone assessment can additionally include bone mineral content or density information, while in the case of additionally taking an AP (anterior-posterior or posterior-anterior) view the bone assessment can additionally include information related to bone mineral content or density derived from that view. Reports based on CT and QCT scans and reports based on DXA scans can include the same or different types of assessments and estimates, and a report can include information based in part on each type of scan.

Measurement from different modalities or mixed modalities can be used for some or all of the assessments and estimates of interest. For example, instead of or in addition to using x-ray measurement obtained with a lateral CT or QCT scan, single or dual energy lateral DXA scans can be used, with measurement similarly processed to derive vertebral fracture risk and cardiovascular event risk. Instead of or in addition to using QCT slice scans to derive bone parameters such as BMD, DXA scans can be used. Instead of or in addition to spine scans for deriving BMD, scans of different anatomy such as the hip can be used, derived from QCT slice scans or DXA scans. The resulting reports can include information derived with the use of different modalities, preferably with an identification of the modality that produced the reported information. A risk assessment quantification or a BMD estimate can be based on information from a single modality or on a combination of information from two to even more modalities.

A non-limiting example of a system disclosed in this patent application comprises a dual x-ray energy bone densitometer that obtains x-ray measurements of a patient's anatomy that includes a selected portion of the patient's spine and aorta, and/or of another suitable part of the patient's anatomy such as the hip. Alternatively or in addition, the system comprises a CT scanner preferably equipped with QCT hardware and/or software. Preferably the patient is scanned in a generally lateral view, e.g. a supine patient is scanned from the side. If bone parameters such as BMD are desired and a QCT device is used, the patient also is scanned for CT slice images, as common for QCT estimates of BMD. If a DXA device is used, the x-ray measurements can be at a single energy or dual energy and typically come from a lateral view of the patient although hip measurements may come from an AP view. A computer is coupled with the DXA device or the CT/QCT device top the lateral view x-ray measurements and process them to derive digital image information describing an image of at least the selected portion of the patient's spine and aorta and/or other anatomy. The computer is further programmed to process the lateral view digital image information to produce vertebral fracture and aortic calcification information describing at least one selected calcification property of the selected portion of the aorta, and is further programmed to process the aortic calcification information to estimate cardiovascular risk information indicative of an assessment of risk of a cardiovascular event for the patient and to process the vertebral fracture information to estimate vertebral fracture risk information indicative of an assessment of the risk to the patient of a future vertebral fracture. The computer is still further programmed to process x-ray measurements obtained from QCT slice images and/or dual energy DXA measurements of the spine, hip and/or other anatomy to estimate one or more bone parameters such as BMD and/or structural information regarding the hip or other anatomy. The system further includes a reporting unit such as a display coupled with the computer to receive the vertebral fracture risk information and the cardiovascular risk information and show it on a screen and/or otherwise report it. A further non-limiting example is a computer program product that can be loaded as an application program in a computer to carry out examples of the disclosed method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates in block diagram form one example of the main components of a system that estimates and reports risk of vertebral fracture and of cardiovascular events and bone parameters such as BMD using dual x-ray energy bone densitometry (DXA) data and/or QCT.

FIG. 2 a illustrates a prior art DXA scanning systems that can generate and process DXA measurements when programmed to carry out the process disclosed in this patent specification.

FIG. 2 b illustrates a prior art QCT scanning systems that can generate and process x-ray measurements when programmed to carry out the process disclosed in this patent specification.

FIG. 3 illustrates a single energy lateral DXA image showing spinal fracture and aortic calcification in the lumbar aorta; a QCT lateral localization or scout image can be similar.

FIG. 4 illustrates a non-limiting example of a display of vertebral fracture risk and cardiovascular risk information and bone condition information that can be derived according to the disclosure herein at least in part from DXA and or CT/QCT x-ray measurements.

FIG. 5 illustrates process components of a method for generating results such as those in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, the main components of a system carrying out one example of the disclosed method of estimating and reporting a risk of vertebral fracture and cardiovascular events as well as bone parameters such as BMD, are a dual x-ray energy bone densitometer 10 and/or a CT/QCT system 11, a processing workstation 12, and a reporting station 14. Densitometer 10 can be the scanning and pre-processing part of a device such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,283, or the densitometer available from Hologic, Inc. under the trade name Discovery and equipped with appropriate software including CADfx and IVA software. Its purpose here is to obtain x-ray measurements of patient's anatomy that includes the appropriate part of the spine and aorta, for example the portion of the abdominal aorta anterior to the lumbar spine. QCT system 11 can be a conventional CT system equipped with known QCT hardware and software (including a QCT phantom) and adapted to provide x-ray measurements output to work station 12 for further processing according to the method disclosed in the patent specification. When densitometer 10 uses an x-ray beam alternating between high and low energies, as in the Discovery system, the x-ray measurements used in this example can be single energy measurements for a lateral view. As noted above, in the alternative single energy images can be extracted from dual energy measurements. Single energy x-ray measurements from DXA can also be used for bone assessment such as CADfx, IVA, or vertebral fracture assessment. In the alternative, the x-ray measurements can be dual energy measurements, obtained with DXA equipment 10 with an x-ray beam alternating between two energies or with a scanning densitometer that uses an x-ray beam with a wider energy range and two sets of detectors, or with another type of densitometer. When dual energy measurements are available, they can be used for additional or alternative bone assessment information, such as information regarding bone mineral content or density. The x-ray measurements for vertebral fracture assessment and AAC typically are acquired from a lateral view of the patient, while those for additional or alternative bone assessment can be acquired in a lateral or other views such as an AP view.

After conventional initial pre-processing, the x-ray measurements are delivered to workstation 12 that has one or more computers programmed to carry out known processing to derive digital image information such as, but not limited to, pixel values for a lateral image from CT/QCT system 11 or for a lateral DXA single-energy and/or dual-energy image of the patient's anatomy. One example of a workstation with functionality suitable for assessing vertebral fracture risk using DXA outputs is disclosed in said U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,283. Another example is the workstation of the Discovery system when equipped with said CADfx and IVA options. Instead of or in addition to so processing DXA outputs, workstation 12 can similarly process the lateral view CT/QCT outputs to similarly derive estimates of vertebral fracture risk. In addition, workstation 12 processes the outputs of DXA system 10 in a conventional manner to derive estimates of bone parameters such as BMD, and/or processes the CT slice view outputs from QCT system 11 in a manner known in QCT technology to derive similar bone condition parameters such as BMD. In addition, workstation 12 is programmed to carry out new steps in which it processes the digital image information for a lateral view from DXA system 10 and/or CT/QCT system 11 to produce aortic calcification information regarding a selected portion of the patient's aorta, and is programmed to use the result to estimate cardiovascular risk information. The output of workstation 12 is delivered to reporting station 14 that can include one or more computer screens for displaying the results from workstation 12, printing equipment, magnetic and optical disc drives or other drives for longer term storage of those results and other data, communication facilities to transfer the results and other data to remote locations and storage such as PACS, etc.

FIG. 2 a illustrates in greater detail a known x-ray bone densitometer system with facilities that can be used to practice the methods disclosed in this patent specification. It includes a scanning system 30 that comprises a patient table unit 32 with a patient table 50 and a C-arm 56 serving as a source-detector support. A workstation 34 controls patient table unit 32 and C-arm 56 and processes scan data into quantitative bone assessment information such as BMD, into images, and into IVA and vertebral risk assessment information. Workstation 34 includes a power supply module 36, one or more host computers 38 with a mass data storage devices 40, an operator console keyboard 42, a display monitor 44 and a printer 46. Table 50 can move up and down and along its long dimension and may also move along its short dimension. C-arm 56 also moves along the length of table 50 to scan a patient thereon with a fan-shaped beam of x-rays from source 52 so that a detector array 54 and associated electronics can produce dual energy or single energy scan data. The C-arm may also be able to move across the table. For the purposes of carrying out the methods disclosed in this patent specification, different densitometry systems can be used so long as they can do a lateral scan of a patient and obtain the requisite single energy and/or dual energy x-ray measurements of the appropriate aortic portion. They can range from a basic model in which the C-arm does not rotate so that the lateral scan needs to be done in the decubitus position, and the table has limited range or motions or no motion, to the most sophisticated models that have many more features and in which the lateral scan can be done either in the supine or in the decubitus positions. One of the features that some of the known x-ray bone densitometry systems have is software that either completely automatically or with some operator input identifies specified Regions Of Interest (ROI) such as vertebral bodies or other bone structures such as the femur head. See, for example, CADfx and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,850,836 and 5,228,068 that pertain to morphometry processes that identify vertebral bodies and U.S. Pat. No. 6,853,741 that pertains mainly to the femur head. Morphometry options and CADfx and IVA options have been available from Hologic, Inc. for its x-ray bone densitometers.

When used for carrying out a method disclosed in this patent application, units 2, 32, 50, 52, 54, and 56 of FIG. 2 can serve as an example of densitometer 10 of FIG. 1; units 34, 36, 38, 40 and 42 can serve as and example of workstation 12 of FIG. 1; and units 40 and 46 can serve as an example of reporting station 14 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 b schematically illustrates a QCT system that comprises a gantry 60 that carries an x-ray source emitting a fan-shaped x-ray beam that is detected at x-ray detector assembly 68 after passing through an axial slice 70 of a patient and a QCT phantom 72 supported on a patient bed 74. In operation in this example, first the source and detectors 62 and 68 are rotated approximately 90° around the patient from the positions shown in FIG. 2 b and patient bed 74 moves axially, along the length of the patient, relative to gantry 60 while x-ray beam 64 is ON to thereby take a lateral localization or scout x-ray image of the desired anatomy. After selection of the appropriate vertebrae and gantry tilt, gantry 60 rotates around the patient in one or more selected planes to take CT slice images. The illustration pertains to third generation CT geometry but other geometries can also be used for similar purposes. Known controls and electronics pre-process the x-ray measurements from detector assembly 68 for delivery to work station 12.

FIG. 3 illustrates a single energy lateral image from a dual x-ray energy densitometer, but a lateral localization or scout image from a CT/QCT system is similar. AAC can be seen anterior of lumbar vertebrae L2 and L3. Various parameters of this AAC can be detected with computer assistance such as its length along the aorta either in absolute units or in units scaled to the height of the laterally adjacent vertebral bodies, its area in the image, its bone mineral content (BMC) in units such as those commonly used in DXA, it a real density of calcification, or other parameters related to the degree and nature of the detected calcification. While FIG. 3 illustrates a single energy image, dual energy images can be used instead or in addition to detect and assess AAC parameters that may be comparably or better visualized in dual energy imaging, and a CT/QCT lateral localization or scout scan can be used instead of or in addition to a DXA scan. The lines through inter-vertebral spaces in FIG. 3 delineate lumbar vertebrae. It is important that DXA or localization/scout lateral images such as that in FIG. 3, which typically are produced as a part of a QCT procedure but typically cover a shorter span of the spine, or when using the IVA procedure, show the thoracic region as well as the lumbar region in a single image, which it typically not the case with conventional radiographs. Accordingly, the same CT/QCT lateral image or DXA image can be used to detect and assess thoracic vertebral fracture over a greater span of the spine and thoracic arterial calcification (TAC) in addition to or instead of abdominal arterial calcification and the resulting information can be used in assessing and reporting risk of vertebral fracture and cardiovascular events.¹¹

The detection of AAC and/or TAC from lateral CT/QCT images or DXA images can be through a computer assisted process that is entirely automated or involves some participation by the health care professional. In an entirely automated process, a computer search algorithm evaluates the image information, for example by testing pixel values of a pixel-based image to identify pixel clusters that match criteria indicative of aortic calcification. Because calcification can be somewhat patchy, the algorithm can be made to add up clusters that individually suggest calcification but are not contiguous. Constraints can be imposed on such adding up, such as requirements that the clusters have minimum size, that they be within a specified area, that they be spaced by no more than a specified distance, etc. The search algorithm can first identify the vertebral bodies, for example using the commercially available CADfx software from Hologic, Inc., and then search an ROI that is preset to encompass a specified area relative to the vertebral bodies in the image, for example an area within a specified distance anterior from the lumbar and/or thoracic vertebrae in a lateral view. The distance can be expressed as absolute units or in units of vertebral size for the particular patient. Various search algorithms can be used; as a non-limiting example an algorithm may select as AAC pixels those that have pixel values exceeding a threshold and possibly meeting additional criteria such as comparison with adjacent pixels or with a threshold derived from a histogram of pixels in a specified ROI. As a non-limiting example, the threshold can be based on an average of all pixels in the searched ROI or on a histological value related to pixel values in the ROI or in other regions of the image. More sophisticated search algorithms can be used as an alternative, using techniques such as those discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,045 and the patents cited at column 1, lines 25-40 thereof, which also are incorporated by reference herein. As yet another alternative, image marking by a health professional can assist in the computer identification of the ROI to be searched. For example, by using a mouse of another input device, the health professional can mark the image such as by drawing an outline around the relevant portion of the aorta, or by marking the vertical ends of the AAC visible in the image, or by outlining the AAC, or in some other way, and the search algorithm can then use the marking information to select the ROI and/or to otherwise use the marking information in identifying AAC parameters. As yet another alternative, the function of the search algorithm can be limited to calculating the distance between marks designating the vertical ends of the AAC portion, or to calculating the AAC area outlined by the health professional. As noted above, the result of this process is aortic calcification information that can include one or more parameters such as the length of the calcified portion in appropriate units along the length of the pertinent aortic portion, the area of calcification, the BMC of the calcification, the a real density of the calcification (BMC/area of calcification), and possible other parameters. Parameters such as the amount of calcification are calculated using dual energy image information rather than a single energy image, in the manner currently used in commercial dual x-ray energy bone densitometers, and in units such as grams of calcium hydroxyapetite equivalent. In addition, calcification information derived from QCT slice views as in said published U.S. patent application can be used to estimate local calcification and/or as information serving for calibration of calcification information estimated based on lateral images. Both the total amount of aortic calcification and the area and/or length of the calcification can be predictive of disease and its severity and can be used in arterial calcification grading schemes, for example schemes such as those proposed in the cited articles. The aortic calcification information calculated or estimated in this manner can be presented as digital data quantifying the estimates and/or by way of grading results, for example 5 grades or 8 grades or some other number of grades indicative of the degree and/or nature of calcification and based on the estimated parameters alone or in combination with other factors such as clinical information regarding the patient and possibly input from a health professional.

Arterial calcification information derived in this manner is used as an input to a computer assisted process in workstation 12 that calculates or estimates cardiovascular risk information, possibly also based on additional factors such as clinical data input by a health professional or available from another source and possibly other data such as normative data for patient populations relevant to the patient being examined. In a simplified example, if a numerical scoring system of 8 grades is used in the assessment of arterial calcification, each grade can be related through a look-up table to a respective grade of risk of cardiovascular event or to a probability of such event in a specified time period. The look-up table can be based on current knowledge of such relationship or on normative data derived in known manner from examining a historical base of images showing arterial calcification and relating them to actual occurrence of cardiovascular events in the patient population. Additional or alternative statistical studies and approaches can be used in creating and refining the look-up table. Such techniques have been used in creating, for example, the ATP III Guidelines At-A-Glance Quick Desk Reference available from the National Institute of Health, National Heart, Ling and Blood Institute, that relates a set of factors such as cholesterol level, cigarette smoking, hypertension and others to level of coronary heart disease (CHD). The arterial calcification information can be one of the factors that go into the CHD guidelines, hereby incorporated by reference. Alternatively, the arterial information can be used by itself to produce cardiovascular risk information such as, but not limited to, a numerical or otherwise quantified grade of risk. Still alternatively, the arterial calcification information can be used to estimate cardiovascular risk information when combined with clinical information regarding the patent and/or other information entered into the process by a health professional or available from another source, to estimate risk information in a manner similar to that in said guidelines. The cardiovascular risk information can then be used to help the health professional assess and treat the patient, and can additionally be used as an entry to a process that automatically produces recommended treatment choices, again in the manner done in said guidelines. The term cardiovascular risk information is used in this patent specification in a broad sense, and can be a score such as in the CHD Guidelines or to other information that pertains to risk associated with the patient's cardiovascular system.

The risk information and if desired the arterial calcification information and other information can be reported in any number of ways. As a non-limiting example, it can be added to a report such as illustrated in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 of said U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,283. One example of such combined report is illustrated in FIG. 4 in this patent specification, which contains all of the information illustrated in FIG. 3 in the patent and, additionally, illustrates an image of an artery 118 that has a calcified portion 118 a and adds cardiovascular risk related information 120. FIG. 4 is a drawing rather than an actual DXA image (as is FIG. 3 herein) or an actual CT/QCT lateral localization or scout image. As seen in FIG. 4, information 120 comprises an entry “AAC score 4” that indicates the degree and nature of detected arterial calcification according to an example of a grading scheme, an entry “CV risk score 15” that indicated the cardiovascular risk grade according to an example of another grading scheme, and an entry “Guideline 5” referring to an example of a treatment guideline that relates the patient's CV risk score to a suggested treatment or choice of treatments according to a guideline similar in principle to said NIH guideline. Of course, this is only an illustrative example of entries 120, and more or less information related to AAC and cardiovascular risk can be displayed. As an alternative, some or all of the information such as that displayed at 120 can be displayed by itself, without some or all of the other information seen in FIG. 4. In such case, information such as at 120 can be displayed alone (or with image 106) by itself on a computer screen, and possibly but not necessarily concurrently with a separate display of bone assessment information such as that seen in FIG. 4. In addition, the report can include and selectively display other reported information 122, for example clinical information about the patient such as cholesterol levels, information regarding previous cardiovascular events, regarding blood pressure, weight and height, etc. FIG. 4 also illustrates an example of display of vertebral fracture information at 114 and vertebral fracture risk information at 116, and bone conditions information such as BMC and BMD at 104. FIG. 4 also illustrates additional material such as data identifying the patient, the time and type of scan, the equipment used, etc. The dates are arbitrary and do not in this case correspond to when the results illustrated in FIG. 4 were actually derived. If displayed results were obtained from CT/QCT devices, an appropriate indication of the source of the basic information would be added, although in this case only measurements from a DXA device were used.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of main components of a process according to the disclosure above. Process component 500 is a DXA procedure that obtains single energy and/or dual energy x-ray measurements of a patient's anatomy that includes a selected portion of a patient's aorta, preferably in a lateral view and if desired in an AP view as well. Component 500 can carry out conventional pre-processing of the x-ray measurements, or can deliver raw measurements. Process component 501 is a CT/QCT procedure that obtains a generally lateral localization or scout view of a desired span of the spine and aorta, and then QCT slice views, and can carry out conventional pre-processing of the x-ray measurements to prepare them for use in the next process component. Process component 502 receives the x-ray measurement information from component 500 and/or from component 501 in digital form, typically in the form of information describing the value and position of each image pixel for the single energy or for each of two x-ray energies in the case of information from component 500 and in the form of image pixel values for the lateral image and the one or more QCT slice images in the case of information from component 501, applies any necessary conventional pre-processing thereto, such as dark current correction and other corrections, and derives digital image information that describes an image of at least the pertinent portion of the spine and aorta in a generally lateral view, as in FIG. 4, and/or digital image information describing QCT slice images. The image information can be in the form of pixel data containing a pixel value for each respective pixel of a single energy image and/or the processed dual energy image that effectively eliminates soft tissue but leaves bone and calcification in the image, or in the form of similar information for a CT/QCT lateral view and QCT slice views. The images in this case can be the same as available in conventional DXA and/or IVA or CT or QCT or they can be optimized for visualizing and/or detecting arterial calcification using known techniques. Process component 506 uses the output of component 504 in the manner known in conventional DXA and/or QCT to generate bone assessment information such as BMD and/or IVA and to provide it to one or more reporting components 512. Process component 508 is unique to the process disclosed in this patent specification and receives image information from component 504 to process it according to the principles discussed above to thereby produce aortic calcification information. As discussed above, in a simplified example the output of process component 508 can be only a grade of calcification, but alternatively it can include additional and more detailed digital information defining arterial calcification parameters such as a measure of the vertical extent of calcification, area of calcification, etc. Process component 510 uses the arterial calcification information from component 508 in a computer assisted process that estimates cardiovascular risk information, for example a patient's risk of a cardiovascular event, according to the principles discussed above. The estimate can be based solely on the arterial calcification information from component 508 or it can additionally use traditional clinical information that process component 509 provides. The clinical information can be patient age and other patient information of the type that goes into the process outlined in said NIH guidelines, and/or it can include additional clinical observations of a health care professional applicable to patient being examined. The output of process component 510 goes to one or more reporting components 512. A reporting component 512 can display the appropriate information, can store it for future use, direct it to a remote location, print it, or otherwise utilize it. A reporting component 512 can display or otherwise utilize only bone assessment information, or only cardiovascular risk information, or only vertebral fracture risk information, or only other information, or any desired combination of sub-combination thereof. In addition, process component 510 can generate recommended treatment information and supply it to one or more reporting components 512 for display or other use.

There exist 10-year cardiovascular risk scores, for example the Framingham Point Score or PROCAM¹³ risk score. These measure clinical risk factors for cardiovascular risk. Since AAC is independent of these risk factors, the additional risk from AAC grade/score can be used to more accurately calculate an individual's risk. For example, the computer can calculate the Framingham Point Score from inputs (age, total cholesterol, HDL, Systolic BP, gender) or the Framingham Point score could be directly entered for the patient. The computer can combine this risk score with the additional relative risk conferred by the AAC grade/score to obtain a 10 year risk that more accurately reflects the individual's risk. This is useful because various treatment guidelines (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/atglance.pdf) are available that depend on the individuals 10 year cardiovascular risk score. The treatment guidelines for the level of risk calculated can also be included in the report.

The specific examples described above will suggests to persons skilled in the relevant technology variations thereof and are not intended as the only examples of the inventions to which the claims below are directed. The claims are intended to encompass such variations.

CITATIONS TO MATERIAL INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS PATENT SPECIFICATION

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1. A computer-implemented method of estimating cardiovascular risk information for a patient using aortic calcification information obtained with a dual x-ray energy range bone densitometer or with only a single CT/QCT localization or scout scan and generating a record of the estimated risk together with a record of bone assessment information, comprising: obtaining x-ray measurements of a patient's anatomy that includes a selected elongated portion of the patient's aorta, by using a bone densitometer or only a single CT/QCT localization or scout scan, wherein the measurements from the bone densitometer are dual energy range x-ray measurements; deriving digital image information describing an image of at least the selected portion of the patient's aorta, by computer processing that uses said x-ray measurements; producing aortic calcification information describing at least one selected calcification property of the selected portion of the aorta, by computer processing that uses the digital image information; estimating cardiovascular risk information related to an assessment of risk of a cardiovascular event by computer processing that uses the aortic calcification information; calculating first bone assessment information, by computer processing that uses the digital image information; and reporting the estimated cardiovascular risk information and the calculated bone assessment information.
 2. A method as in claim 1 including inputting additional information regarding clinical risk factors for the patient and using said additional information in said estimating of cardiovascular risk information.
 3. A method as in claim 1 including showing an image of the patient's anatomy derived using said digital image information, together with the cardiovascular risk assessment and bone assessment information.
 4. A method as in claim 1 in which the calcification information comprises a grade calculated according to a selected grading scheme.
 5. A method as in claim 1 in which calcification property is at least one of length of a calcified portion of the aorta, area of the calcified portion, mineral content of the calcified portion, and mineral content per unit area of the calcified portion.
 6. A method as in claim 1 in which said reporting comprises concurrently showing the cardiovascular risk information and the bone assessment information.
 7. A method as in claim 1 in which said reporting comprises showing the cardiovascular risk information and the bone assessment information at different times.
 8. A method as in claim 1 in which said reporting comprises showing the cardiovascular risk information and the bone assessment information at a single display or document.
 9. A method as in claim 1 in which said reporting comprises showing the cardiovascular risk information and the bone assessment information at separate display screens or documents.
 10. A method as in claim 1 in which the producing comprises scaling aortic calcification information to patient's vertebral size information.
 11. A method as in claim 1 in which the x-ray measurements are the measurements obtained with said bone densitometer.
 12. A method as in claim 1 in which the x-ray measurements comprise said localization or scout scan image taken with a CT/QCT system.
 13. A method as in claim 1 in which the obtaining comprises obtaining the x-ray measurements from a lateral view of the patient.
 14. A method as in claim 1 in which the deriving comprises processing lateral view measurements, and further including obtaining dual energy range AP x-ray measurements from an AP view of the patient and computer processing the AP measurements to derive and report second bone assessment results that include indications of BMD and/or BMC.
 15. A method as in claim 1 in which the selected portion of the aorta comprises a selected portion of the abdominal aorta.
 16. A method as in claim 1 in which the selected portion of the aorta comprises a selected portion of the thoracic aorta.
 17. A computer-implemented method comprising: using a processor to perform steps comprising: obtaining x-ray measurements of a patient's anatomy that includes a selected elongated portion of the patient's aorta, by using measurements from a bone densitometer system or from only a single CT/QCT localization or scout scan, wherein the measurements from the bone densitometer are dual energy range x-ray measurements; using the x-ray measurements to derive digital image information describing an image of at least the selected elongated portion of the patient's aorta; producing aortic calcification information describing at least one selected calcification property of the selected portion of the aorta, by computer processing that uses the digital image information; estimating cardiovascular risk information related to an assessment of risk of a cardiovascular event by computer processing using the aortic calcification information; and reporting the calculated cardiovascular risk information.
 18. A method as in claim 17 in which the digital image information describes values of image pixels, and the producing of aortic calcification information comprises applying at least one selected computer search algorithm to the digital image information to identify pixel groupings that meet selected pixel value characteristics.
 19. A method as in claim 18 including displaying an image of the patient's anatomy, including an image of the selected portion of the aorta, derived from said digital image information, and manually marking a calcified portion of the aorta visible in the image, wherein the producing of aortic calcification information comprises using information regarding said marking in the course of computer processing the image information.
 20. A method as in claim 17 including displaying an image of the patient's anatomy, including an image of the selected portion of the aorta, derived from said digital image information, and manually marking a calcified portion of the aorta visible in the image, wherein the producing of aortic calcification information comprises using information regarding said marking in the course of computer processing the image information.
 21. A method as in claim 17 in which the producing of aortic calcification information comprises treating as calcified a composite of non-contiguous parts of the aorta that meet selected criteria.
 22. A method as in claim 17 in which said x-ray measurements are obtained with said bone densitometer.
 23. A method as in claim 17 in which said x-ray measurement are derived by a lateral CT/QCT localization or scout scan.
 24. A method as in claim 17 including inputting additional information regarding clinical risk factors for the patient and using said additional information in said estimating of cardiovascular risk information.
 25. A method as in claim 17 including deriving bone assessment information by computer processing that uses said x-ray measurements, and wherein the reporting comprises showing the cardiovascular assessment information and the bone information.
 26. A method as in claim 25 in which the reporting comprises showing the cardiovascular risk information and the bone assessment information at different displays or documents.
 27. A method as in claim 25 in which the reporting comprises showing the cardiovascular risk information and the bone assessment information concurrently.
 28. A method as in claim 27 in which the reporting comprises showing the cardiovascular risk information and the bone assessment information at same display or document.
 29. A method as in claim 17 including displaying information related to treatment guidelines related to the cardiovascular risk information.
 30. A method as in claim 17 in which the obtaining of x-ray measurements comprises scanning the patient with a fan beam of x-rays.
 31. A method as in claim 17 in which the obtaining of x-ray measurements comprises scanning the patient with a single energy fan beam of x-rays.
 32. A system comprising: an acquisition device comprising at least one of a dual x-ray energy range bone densitometer obtaining dual energy range x-ray measurements of a patient's anatomy that includes a selected elongated span of the patient's aorta and a CT/QCT unit obtaining x-ray measurements from only a single localization or scout scan of a patient's anatomy that includes a selected elongated span of the aorta; a computer coupled with at least one of the densitometer and the CT/QCT unit and receiving said x-ray measurements therefrom, said computer being programmed to: (a) process the x-ray measurements and thereby derive digital image information describing an image of at least the selected portion of the patient's aorta, (b) process the digital image information and thereby produce aortic calcification information describing at least one selected calcification property of the selected portion of the aorta, and (c) process the aortic calcification information and thereby estimate cardiovascular risk information related to an assessment of risk of a cardiovascular event for the patient; and a display coupled with the computer and receiving said cardiovascular risk information therefrom and displaying an indication of a cardiovascular risk for the patient.
 33. A system as in claim 32 wherein said computer is further programmed to process the digital image information from the densitometer and thereby calculate bone assessment information for the patient.
 34. A system as in claim 33 in which said bone assessment information comprises information related to at least one of bone mineral content and bone mineral density.
 35. A system as in claim 34 in which said bone assessment information comprises bone fracture risk information.
 36. A system as in claim 33 in which said digital image data comprises pixel values for respective pixels of a two-dimensional image of the patient's anatomy, and wherein said computer is programmed to carry out at least one pixel-based search algorithm in a process producing said aortic calcification information.
 37. A system as in claim 33 in which said densitometer comprises a source of a fan-shaped beam of x-rays and a detector for x-rays traveling within respective sectors of said fan beam.
 38. A system as in claim 32 wherein said CT/QCT unit provides QCT slice image digital information and said computer is further programmed to process the slice image digital image information and thereby calculate bone assessment information for the patient.
 39. A system as in claim 38 wherein said display is coupled with said computer to receive the bone assessment information therefrom and displays an indication of the bone assessment information.
 40. A system as in claim 38 in which said bone assessment information comprises bone fracture risk information.
 41. A computer readable medium storing, in non-transitory form, program information for carrying out one or more sequences of instructions wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of: receiving at least one of (i) dual energy range x-ray measurements from a bone densitometer and (ii) x-ray measurements from only a single lateral CT/QCT localization or scout view of a patient's anatomy that includes a selected elongated portion of the patient's aorta; processing the x-ray measurements to derive digital image information describing an image of at least the selected portion of the patient's aorta, processing the digital image information to produce aortic calcification information describing at least one selected calcification property of the selected portion of the aorta, processing the aortic calcification information to estimate cardiovascular risk information related to an assessment of risk of a cardiovascular event for the patient; and displaying an indication of the estimated cardiovascular risk for the patient.
 42. A computer readable medium as in claim 41 in which said x-ray measurements are taken in a lateral view of the patient.
 43. A computer readable medium as in claim 41 in which said x-ray measurements are obtained with a CT/QCT unit.
 44. A computer readable medium as in claim 41 in which said processing further comprises using said x-ray measurements to derive bone assessment information and said displaying further comprises displaying the bone assessment information.
 45. A computer readable medium as in claim 44 in which said bone assessment information comprises bone fracture risk assessment information.
 46. A computer readable medium as in claim 44 in which said bone assessment information comprises information related to at least one of bone mineral content and bone mineral density.
 47. A computer readable medium as in claim 44 in which said digital image data comprises pixel values for respective pixels of a two-dimensional image of the patient's anatomy, and said processing comprises applying at least one pixel-based search algorithm in a process producing said aortic calcification information. 